Slot cover for modular firearm hand guard

ABSTRACT

A slot cover for a firearm modular hand guard comprising a head portion and a bottom portion, wherein the head portion has a top surface and a bottom surface, and the bottom portion extends downwardly from the bottom surface; and the bottom portion has a pair of legs, extending from a center portion of the bottom surface of the head portion, and a gap is formed between the legs, and wherein each leg has a concave groove portion right underneath the bottom surface, a first surface connecting with the groove portion, and a second surface that is undercut and connecting with the first surface, and the first surface extends outwardly from the gap, while the second surface extends inwardly from the gap.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuous-in-part (CIP) application of Ser. No.14/500,855, filed on Sep. 29, 2014 now pending, which is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to adetachable slot cover for a modular hand guard platform.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of firearms, many of them currently employ handguardssurrounding the barrel and positioned against or proximate the forwardend of a receiver. The handguards typically provide for protection fromdangerous areas of the firearm, as well as an improved grip and heatdissipation from the barrel of the firearm while also providing slotsand/or rails for mounting accessories to the weapon. The handguards,despite allowing for some heat dissipation, may be unable to shield theuser from heat radiating from the firearm. Therefore, there remains aneed for a new and improved design for a protection cover to prevent theuser from heat radiating from the firearm, and the protection cover iseasy to attach to the firearm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a slot cover toshield the user from heat radiating from a firearm having a modular handguard mounting platform.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a slot coverthat is easy to attach to a firearm with a modular hand guard mountingplatform.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a slot cover, which mayinclude a head portion and a bottom portion. The head portion has a topsurface and a bottom surface, and the bottom portion extends downwardlyfrom the bottom surface. In one embodiment, the front view of the slotcover is substantially π-shaped.

The bottom portion may include a pair of legs, extending from nearly acenter portion of the bottom surface of the head portion, and a gap isformed between the legs. Each leg has a concave groove portion rightunderneath the bottom surface, a first surface connecting with thegroove portion, and a second surface that is undercut and connectingwith the first surface. It is noted that the first surface extendsoutwardly from the gap, while the second surface extends inwardly fromthe gap.

In an exemplary embodiment, the slot cover can be used in a ModularLocking System, M-LOK, which may include a plurality of slots, and theslot cover is configured to be inserted into each slot to shield theuser from heat radiating from the firearm.

More specifically, the user can move the legs toward the gap to insertthe slot cover into the slot. Since the legs can be slightly andelastically deformed, and the second surface is undercut and extendstowards the gap, the second surface can be the first portion that can beinserted into the slot. The user can further insert the slot cover intothe slot until the first surface starts to contact the edge of the slot.At this moment, about half of the bottom portion is in the slot, and theuser can release the hands from the legs and push the slot cover all theway down to the slot. In one embodiment, the length of the head portionis slightly greater to the length of the slot, so the slot cover canfully cover the slot.

It is noted that when the slot cover is in the slot, each of the edge ofthe slot is disposed right at the concave groove portion to secure theslot cover. Furthermore, since the user slightly deform the legs whenthe slot cover is put into the slot, when the user's hand releases, thelegs can be restored to their original positions, which forms asubstantially reverse U-shaped unit, so it is unlikely to pull the slotcover out of the slot. It is also noted that a plurality of protrusionsare formed on the top surface of the head portion to provide a bettergrip for the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the slot cover in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a prospective view of the slot cover in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a prospective view of the slot cover from a different angle inthe present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the slot cover being attached tothe firearm in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the slot cover attached to thefirearm in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description ofthe presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects ofthe present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms inwhich the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to beunderstood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and componentsmay be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended tobe encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devicesand materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used inthe practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devicesand materials are now described.

All _(p)ublications mentioned are incorporated by reference for thepurpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs andmethodologies that are described in the publications that might be usedin connection with the presently described invention. The publicationslisted or discussed above, below and throughout the text are providedsolely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the presentapplication. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that theinventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue ofprior invention.

In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect ofthe present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawingsare illustrated as following:

In one aspect, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the present invention providesa slot cover 100, which may include a head portion 110 and a bottomportion 120. The head portion 110 has a top surface 112 and a bottomsurface 114, and the bottom portion 120 extends downwardly from thebottom surface 114. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the frontview of the slot cover 100 is substantially π-shaped.

The bottom portion 120 may include a pair of legs 122, extending fromnearly a center portion of the bottom surface 114 of the head portion110, and a gap is formed between the legs 122. Each leg 122 has aconcave groove portion 1221 right underneath the bottom surface 114, afirst surface 1222 connecting with the groove portion 1221, and a secondsurface 1223 that is undercut and connecting with the first surface1222. It is noted that the first surface 1222 extends outwardly from thegap 123, while the second surface extends inwardly from the gap 123, asshown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In an exemplary embodiment, the slot cover 100 can be used in a ModularLocking System, M-LOK, which is a system suitable for attachments ofpolymer products. Since polymer products are durable, cheap, and easy tomanufacture, it becomes a good alternative to non-plastic firearmattachments. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the M-LOK system 200 may includea plurality of slots 220, and the slot cover 100 is configured to beinserted into each slot 220 to shield the user from heat radiating fromthe firearm.

More specifically, the user can move the legs 122 toward the gap 123 toinsert the slot cover 100 into the slot 220. Since the legs 122 can beslightly and elastically deformed, and the second surface 1222 isundercut and extends towards the gap 123, the second surface 1222 can bethe first portion that can be inserted into the slot 220. The user canfurther insert the slot cover 100 into the slot 220 until the firstsurface starts to contact the edge 222 of the slot 220. At this moment,about half of the bottom portion 120 is in the slot 220, and the usercan release the hands from the legs 122 and push the slot cover 100 allthe way down to the slot 220. In one embodiment, the length of the headportion 110 is slightly greater to the length of the slot 220, so theslot cover 100 can fully cover the slot 220.

It is noted that when the slot cover 100 is in the slot 220, each of theedge 222 of the slot 220 is disposed right at the concave groove portion1221 to secure the slot cover 100. Furthermore, since the user slightlydeform the legs 122 when the slot cover 100 is put into the slot 220,when the user's hand releases, the legs can be restored to theiroriginal positions, which forms a substantially reverse U-shaped unit,so it is unlikely to pull the slot cover 100 out of the slot 200. It isalso noted that the a plurality of protrusions 116 are formed on the topsurface 112 of the head portion 110 to provide a better grip for theuser.

Having described the invention by the description and illustrationsabove, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the inventionand are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention isnot to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, butincludes any equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A slot cover for a firearm modular hand guardcomprising a head portion and a bottom portion, wherein the head portionhas a top surface and a bottom surface, and the bottom portion extendsdownwardly from the bottom surface; and the bottom portion has a pair oflegs, extending from a center portion of the bottom surface of the headportion, and a gap is formed between the legs, wherein each leg has aconcave groove portion right underneath the bottom surface, a firstsurface connecting with the groove portion, and a second surface that isundercut and connecting with the first surface, and the first surfaceextends outwardly from the gap, while the second surface extendsinwardly from the gap.
 2. The slot cover for a firearm modular handguard of claim 1, wherein the slot cover is used in a Modular Locking(M-LOK) System.
 3. The slot cover for a firearm modular hand guard ofclaim 2, wherein the M-LOK system has a plurality of slots to receivethe slot cover to shield the user from heat radiating from the firearm.4. The slot cover for a firearm modular hand guard of claim 3, whereinthe legs is slightly and elastically deformed by a user to insert theslot cover into the slot.
 5. The slot cover for a firearm modular handguard of claim 4, wherein the second surface is undercut and extendsinwardly toward the gap to facilitate the insertion of the slot cover.6. The slot cover for a firearm modular hand guard of claim 2, whereinthe length of the head portion is slightly greater to the length of theslot to fully cover the slot.
 7. The slot cover for a firearm modularhand guard of claim 2, wherein the slot has two long edges and two shortedges, and when the slot cover is in the slot, each of the long edges ofthe slot is disposed right at the concave groove portion to secure theslot cover.
 8. The slot cover for a firearm modular hand guard of claim1, wherein a plurality of protrusions are formed on the top surface ofthe head portion to provide a better grip for the user.